


Through the Shadows Shines the Light

by Larien_Fox



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Death, Dragon Hunters, Dragon Riders, Eventual Smut, F/M, Healing, Mala - Freeform, Multiple OC's, Race To The Edge, Romance, Slow Burn, Suspicion, Throk - Freeform, Trauma, Viggo isn't dead, new dragons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-03-23 23:00:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13798143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larien_Fox/pseuds/Larien_Fox
Summary: Viggo was sure he was going to die after seemingly succumbing to his wounds. Then like a stray ray of light he is saved by a dragon riding stranger named Kala. An intelligent healer and warrior, she keeps her secrets well guarded from everyone in the archipelago. As the two spend time together, a friendship blooms and Viggo can't help but find her intriguing.As Kala makes a name for herself, Viggo's health returns and a newfound need for revenge fuels his goal in taking down the Dragon Hunters. As the archipelago becomes more dangerous than it's every been, friendship and trust are tested. Dark secrets are revealed and Viggo has to make choices that may haunt him for the rest of his days.With trouble brewing on the horizon, Kala and Viggo's future remains uncertain with the Dragon Riders and Hunters. Their relationship and past are both put to trial in this harrowing tale of adventure and romance.This story is an AU and contains spoilers for HTTYD: RTTE and all (well most) of its canon. Also contains violence and mature content. Other warnings will be added where needed. Also contains OC's!





	1. Accept Your Fate

**Author's Note:**

> Authors Note: I have just finished RTTE and oh boy I love that series! And I was finally inspired to write some fan fiction. This is a Viggo X OC story obviously, and yes, there will be spoilers. Also contains an alternate end to Season 6. This is my first story I'm posting here, so tips are always appreciated! Please enjoy!

Viggo charged towards the men he once commanded with the last of his strength. His battle cry, flaming sword and the Skrill behind him provided some intimidation against his foes. But that didn't stop some of the men from shooting their crossbows. Two more arrows pierced his left arm and shoulder, and Viggo's step faltered for just a moment. He pushed through the burning pain to slash at the enemy. The Skrill shot several lightning blasts, killing the men it hit instantly.

Viggo knew he was going to die here, he was too wounded, too weak. If this was to be his grave, he was damn well going to go out with a bang. Releasing all the Zippleback gas from his sword, Viggo leaned against the wall as he laughed. The green gas filled the cave quickly, filling the lungs of all present. The Dragon Hunters were freaking out, and many raised their crossbows at Viggo, trying to get one more hit in. Viggo stares them down unflinchingly. Before a single arrow could be shot, the Skrill lit up the cave with a large lightning blast, providing the spark for the gas. Viggo closed his eyes, ready for the blast to finish him off. He had spent his life killing dragons, it seemed fitting one should be the one to do him in.

He heard the blasts, but felt nothing, except some heat. Opening his eyes, the Skrill filled his vision; it had protected him. It had stood in front, and fanned its wings around the man. Viggo couldn't help but give a small genuine smile. He gently placed his hand on the snout of the dragon. "Your kind never fail to amaze me." He told it. The Skrill gave a small growl in response.

The dragon lowered its wings. Viggo looked at the bodies of the men. It was a shame they had to die. Though, he would be joining them soon. The arrows he had taken all stung horribly, and his blood was beginning to seep through his armour. The blood loss fatigue was beginning to set in. He saw an entrance not far away. Using the cave walls as a crutch, Viggo made his way outside.

This entrance must be different from the one Hiccup had went too. The small beach it led to was deserted. The moon shone brightly in the star filled night sky, reflecting beautifully off the quiet sea. His breathing ragged now, Viggo sat down, his legs hardly holding himself up. The man couldn't tear his eyes away from the beautiful sight he had found. "Not a bad place to die." He said, chuckling to himself.

The Skrill who he had somehow found a friend in crawled over and sat beside him. The dragon growled lowly, as if sad. Lightning on its body had fizzled out to nothing. It leaned down and began nudging his shoulder. "You're free now dragon. You should go before the others find us." Viggo said to it. His voice was hoarse, and each breath he took was painful. The Skrill shook itself and roared, letting out a blast of lightning. Then it stared Viggo in the eye, showing it had no intent of leaving the man behind. Viggo chuckled at it, "Suit yourself," he repeated from earlier.

The waves crashing against the sand was the only sound in this small peaceful space. It wasn't long before Viggo's vision was beginning to darken. He fought for every breath he drew, and he could taste blood in his mouth. The ex-dragon hunter had accepted his fate. When the last of his strength had waned, the man barely felt himself hit the soft grass beneath him as his upper body finally fell.

Viggo heard the dragon beside him cry out before he drifted into unconsciousness feeling strange peace.

<<<<<>>>>>

A hooded figure rode their dragon quietly through the night, headed for the dragon hunter base. A sudden blast of lightning in the distance caught their attention. The figure directed the dragon they road towards the blast. Perhaps it was a trapped dragon.

As they neared the source of the blast, they balanced on their dragon easily, readying a bow and arrow for foes. The person came upon a hidden cove and was surprised by what they saw. Alone in the cove was a Skrill, and another person. The new dragon approached, and hovered above as its rider assessed the situation. They saw a body with arrows, and quickly directed their dragon down too it.

Upon landing, the Skrill lit up with lightning, unnerved by the newcomer. The hooded person laid down their weapon, showing they were a friend. The Skrill calmed down, but still appeared to be protecting the downed body. The stranger moved to the body. This person had fatal wounds, but was still barely breathing. They had to help him, quickly.

The stranger directed their dragon over. The Skrill became agitated. "Do not worry, I can help." The stranger said. They then carefully moved the dying man into their dragon, trying not to wound him further. Once secure they turned back to the Skrill. "Come, and I may be able to save your friend." They said before jumping on their dragon. It ascended quickly, and flew and fast as it could towards home, the Skrill following behind.

The stranger looked back at the man they had saved. It worries them that they may know just who it was.


	2. Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note guys, I noticed Viggo has no specific age given to him. For the sake of this story, I’m going to say he is 26. Also I discovered some fun facts; Viggo is a lot taller than I originally thought (6’4) and is left handed. Enjoy!

Candlelight flickered gently off the rock and wooden walls of the home. The dusk sunlight filtered through small cracks in the door. Everything for now was quiet and peaceful. But peace is such a fragile thing. It cannot hold forever.

Viggo slowly drifted back into the realm of consciousness. The man opened his eyes tiredly, as if the simple action of looking was a tough task. The first thing he noticed was a stone roof. His head lay on a soft pillow and his body on an equally comfortable bed. Then he felt an aching pain in his back, shoulder and arm. Memories came flooding back. He had died in that cove hadn’t he? This couldn’t be Valhalla.

The man realized he was shirtless. Bandages covered his chest from his back as well as his left shoulder and arm. Viggo tried to sit up, but a sharp pain raced through his body like lightning. With a groan he flopped back down. Instead he settled for merely turning his head. Oh, if only the Dragon Hunters could see him now, so weak and helpless; it felt awful.

The place in which he resided didn’t have much. A desk filled with papers and trinkets he couldn’t make out was on the other side of the room. A dresser and mirror was also close by, most likely containing the owners belongings. There was also a nightstand beside the bed in which he lay, with several bottles and bowls on it. From what he could guess, it was medicine. Though that begged the question, who would go through the trouble of saving him? 

A sudden unfamiliar roar broke his thoughts. Was it a predator, or a Dragon Rider? Viggo quickly returned to the position in which he had awoken, faking sleep.

He heard a dragon land outside, and a person’s feet hit the ground. A dragon rider of some kind, could they be a friend of Hiccup’s? Viggo then heard the door open and close, and he forced himself to remain still. He couldn’t let this person know he was awake, at least not yet. Leather boots quietly echoed from the smooth stone floor. They approached him, and stopped right beside him. Viggo felt the blanket that had previously covered him being pulled away at his left shoulder. A glove covered hand touched his pale skin for a moment, but it felt like a spark. It took a lot of effort to not jolt. The hand gently moved over the bandages covering his shoulder and arm. Viggo was quick to deduce that this person was examining him, and was most likely the one who had saved his life.

The hand was suddenly gone, leaving behind a strange cold. The blanket was placed back in its original position. Viggo heard footsteps move away from him and over to the desk he had seen earlier. The chair was pulled out and soon the sounds of writing filled the small area. Viggo risked opening his eyes and looking at this person. He could only see a small hooded figure, their face turned away. Feeling the fatigue return, Viggo closed his eyes once more, this time sleeping for real. 

<<<<<>>>>>

The next time Viggo awoke, it was dark in the space. Moonlight managed to seep in through the cracks in the door. Everything was quiet. The aching pain in Viggo’s back, shoulder and arm still throbbed, but it was manageable. 

Using his good arm, Viggo managed to push himself up with effort. Using the headboard and the pillow for support, the man was able to sit up. It was slow going, the bandages constricted and forced Viggo to move so he disturbed the wraps as little as possible. Once he was upright, he leaned against the headboard for support, careful of the wounds beneath the wraps. It may have been dark, be he could see that the bandages had been freshly changed. 

Viggo was alone in this small residence, the person from earlier nowhere to be seen. He took this moment to reflect on these recent events. He couldn’t deny that he was relieved to still be alive. He’d believed that death was inevitable for him and didn’t fight it, but that didn’t mean he wanted to die. In this moment of privacy he could be grateful to both the Skrill, and the stranger who saved him. Though these were thoughts he would never say aloud.

Once again he heard the sounds of a dragon landing outside. His moment over, Viggo listened intently to the happenings outside. He couldn’t determine anything really, there was too much undefined shuffling outside. After several minutes a blast was heard, and soon the familiar crackling of a fire filled the air. A small amount of orange light filtered through the small cracks of the wood door. 

Finally, Viggo decided it was time to meet his saviour. Carefully the man swung his feet off the bed and slowly stood. His wounds ached, but he could manage. He noticed that his boots, the remnants of his tunic and sword were all the the foot of the bed. Viggo grabbed the sword of his own making, just in case. Looking at the desk, a notebook was open. 

Walking slowly, his legs felt almost like jelly Viggo moved to the desk and sat on the chair. It was dark, but he was still able to make out what was on the pages. The book was open to page containing drawings of a Skrill. The drawings were beautifully accurate and there were several drawings of the dragon in different positions. There was also information on it. Flipping through the pages of the notebook, Viggo recognized that the more recently written contained drawings of the dragons he knew: Monstrous Nightmare, Deadly Natter and Gronckle just to name a few. Though he noticed not all had their names, a spot was simply left blank. He returned the page with the Skrill, as if he had never touched the book. Standing up, he moved towards the door with silent footsteps. 

Viggo cracked open the door just enough to see outside, and was greeted by and interesting sight. Sitting on a log with their back once again turned to him sat the black hooded stranger. Lying down near the stranger was a dragon unlike anything Viggo has seen. It was of decent size with black scales covering most of it body. It appeared to have a more lizard-like structure than many other dragons and its wings resembled large fans. However the most interesting feature was the strange bioluminescence some parts of its body exhibited. A dim orange-yellow light emanated from it. If he was still the same man as before, this dragon would a valuable asset. The Skrill from before had fallen asleep underneath a large tree. It was interesting to note the dragon hadn’t left on its own accord. The stranger appeared to be cooking fish. The very thought of food sparked Viggo’s hunger, ravenous from not eating in days.

The man tried to open the door a little more. However the door opened wider than he meant and let out a loud creaking sound. The stranger and the dragon both turn to face him. Cover blown, Viggo walked outside, his sword ready to fight if the need arose. The dragon bared its many serrated teeth and the stranger readied a bow and arrow with experienced speed. They were facing away from the fire and it was too dark to see their face.

For a moment everyone remained still as if suspended in time. Finally it was the stranger who spoke first. "You can put that down. It's not going to do you much good here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all hope you enjoyed. I have also decided to include a picture that resembles what the stranger looks like. Though please imagine a black cloak as opposed to white. If this link doesn't work please let me know!
> 
> https://i.pinimg.com/originals/14/d0/9f/14d09fc9067d064800fabf961f1d8797.jpg


	3. Meet your Saviour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Watching RTTE again, I was actually really happy with Viggo's character development throughout the series. It just sucks that his redemption ended the way it did. But thats what fan fiction is for!
> 
> Also tI've got a link for what my OC looks like https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/364510163578525894/  
> as well as her dragon https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/heroesofmightandmagic/images/b/b9/Чёрный_дракон-7_-_арт.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20170621130330&path-prefix=ru
> 
> If neither of the links work feel free to let me know! All credit goes to their respective artists. Anyways enjoy the chapter!

"You can put that down. It's not going to do you much good here," the stranger said. The voice was female, and the accent was strange. This strange woman didn't seem to be from the Archipelago. In his suspension Viggo didn't move, holding the sword tight in his good hand.

When the woman got no response she pulled the bowstring back, arrow ready to launch. "I'm a far better shot than the idiots who tried to kill you. Trust me," she said with an even, calm tone. She held the bow still as a statue, ready to let the arrow loose at any moment. The black dragon also appeared ready to blast Viggo at any moment. Seeing no other viable course of action, Viggo placed his sword down on the ground.

Immediately the woman lowered her weapon, and gestured for her dragon to calm down. She also set her weapon down and pulled the black hood from her head so Viggo could finally see her face. Long beautiful platinum blonde hair fell out from the hood and framed her face. Her skin was fair and her eyes two different shades of blue and yellow. She almost seemed to glow in the dim light.

The girl's eyes scanned Viggo with scrutiny, looking over the his body for injuries or possible hostility. Soon she seemed to conclude that any threat was gone and her body language changed to one of relaxation. She resumed cooking as if the mini standoff never occurred and said, "Come join. The fire is warm and you should eat," in a relaxed manner. For a moment Viggo didn't move, his suspension of the girl too high. After all she had been prepared to kill him just a moment ago, though he could chalk that up to self-defence. The pain in his stomach made the decision for him, food was more important.

Viggo sat down on a nearby stump, to the side of the girl and opposite the dragon. The girl handed him some of the fish fillet she had prepared. Viggo took it with caution, as it could be poisoned. But reason stood that if this girl had wanted him dead, she would have left him to die in the first place. Additionally, the gnawing pain in his stomach was difficult to ignore. He ate quickly and quietly, observing the girl the whole while.

Finally he spoke. "Who are you, my dear? And while I can't say I'm not happy to be alive, I must say it is rather suspicious that one stranger would bother saving another," Viggo said with a calm tone as usual.

The girl looked over to him as he spoke. The firelight bounced off of her fine features, and Viggo could see a lightning-like scar over her right eye. His focus on her features was interrupted. "My name is Kala Anttila," she said, her voice strong yet angelic. "I would agree that my saving your life could be suspicious if I had ulterior motives," Kala answered vaguely, before continuing to eat her own fish. She paused for moment before speaking again. "Besides, you're no stranger."

Her added comment puzzle Viggo for a moment. He had never met this woman before nor seen a dragon like her own. Kala's words only intrigued the injured man. Her words were like throwing a dog a bone they couldn't reach. He would have to pry her for more information.

Viggo leaned forward slightly, slowing eating the food he'd been given. "If I may inquire, how am I not a stranger? You don't know me, we've never met." He spoke calmly and rationally as he always did.

This time there was no hesitation in Kala's answer, "I know exactly who you are, Viggo Grimborn," she said with a monotone voice, almost a hint of anger. Then she smirked and continued, "You're reputation is rather infamous around these parts. Don't tell me the Dragon Hunters' mastermind himself is shocked someone knows who he is." She said with some conserved snark. She was no fool, and Viggo couldn't play her as one. A small smirk appeared on Viggo's face.

"That still doesn't explain why you patched me up," Viggo pried further.

Kala paused this time shifting in her seat, face unreadable. She seemed to be contemplating her next words. Staring into the fire she spoke, "I was flying overhead when I saw that other dragon's lightning blasts. I went down to check it out and I found you. I thought you were dead at first but you weren't. I would be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to leave you there to die," Kala was leaving out plenty of important information, Viggo knew this but he kept quiet. "A part of me couldn't leave you there to die so we managed to get you here just in time. Even after getting those bandages on you were still knocking at death's door," As she spoke Kala had been staring into the flames, refusing to look at him. Until finally she turned and stared him in the eye, "You're damn lucky to be alive."

Viggo didn't say anything for a moment. She had said so much yet so little. Her eyes danced with a mix of wonder and something unreadable. He wasn't going to get anything else on the subject for now. Perhaps in the future, but not now. Right now, he could appreciate being alive. His future was uncertain, but it could wait.

"You have my sincere gratitude," Viggo said with honesty. It felt strange, actually being grateful to someone. But after everything that has happened to him, he'd be a fool to not appreciate life. Everything went silent for some time. The fire's crackling the only sound between them. In the silence, Viggo stared at Kala's dragon. It was completely foreign to him, he had never seen anything like it in the Dragon Eye. The bioluminescent light it was emanating had died out. It was slender, armed with deadly claws and teeth. It's scales were jet black, practically disappearing in the night. 

Kala had noticed his prolonged observations. "Never seen a Tenelux before?" Her question snapped Viggo out of his own mind. 

"No, it's brand new to me. And a different name than I would have expected," he replied.

"Not surprising. Her kind isn't native this is part of the world. The name Tenelux literally translates to 'dark light'. A more common name is the Bright Shadow." She explained to him. Her head then turned in the direction of the sleeping Skrill. "What's that one called? I've not seen one like it till now," Kala asked with curiosity. Viggo looked at her for a moment, then remembered that the notebook in the small home had no name for it. Her ignorance of the rare dragon confirmed his suspension that she was not from anywhere near the Archipelago. 

Viggo gave her an answer, "It's a Skrill. They are dangerous Strike Class dragons. Not very common either."

Kala looked back over to Viggo. Her eyebrows were knit in confusion now. She looked at him once again with unsure scrutiny. "That Skrill seems to care for you in some way. Forgive me, but I wouldn't think someone of your notoriety was a friend of dragons." She said with an almost accusing and angry tone. 

He couldn't blame her really. As leader of the Dragon Hunters, he hadn't cared about those who hated him for his business. Outside of Hiccup and the Dragon Riders, he had no problems conducting his work and the money was all that mattered. Everything was different now. His family was all dead, he couldn't adhere to the principles of dragon hunting any longer, and allies for him no longer existed. For once in Viggo's life, he had no clue what to do. "I'm not that person anymore." Viggo said quietly. It was quiet between the two for a moment. 

The fire was beginning to dwindle. Kala retrieved more wood and tossed it on the fire. The Bright Shadow looked at the logs, attempted to catch fire. Its amber eyes focused on the girl. Viggo only watched as the two interacted. Kala sat back down, and gave the dragon her full attention. She seemed to be thinking before she spoke to the creature. "Try red," was all she said.

The dragon turned to the fire and prepared for a blast. A brilliant red flame erupted from its mouth. For a moment the logs burned red before returning to the usually orange-yellow colour. The fire was once again burning bright and warm by the time the dragon and laid it's head back down. It was a strange ability Viggo had yet to see in a dragon, but it didn't appear as if Kala was about to explain anything. 

Viggo opened his mouth to ask when a sudden coughing fit came on. His coughing was hoarse, and an aching pain erupted in his chest. The wounds on his back began to burn as he struggling to breath. Kala ran over to him, an expression of cold worry on her face. The coughing ended, and Viggo could taste blood in his mouth once more. He tried pushing away the girl, "I'm fine."

She was having none of it. With experienced hands she forcibly opened his mouth, turning him towards the fire. With the light, she could see the blood he coughed up. She let go almost just as quickly, a look of worry on her face. "We should get you inside," she suggested, but Viggo knew it was more of an order.

Viggo stood when a sudden wave of dizziness hit him, and he would have fallen over if it wasn't for the shorter woman holding him up. "Your body hasn't nearly replenished all the blood you lost. You'll still be weak for awhile," Kala stated factually. She supported Viggo and helped him back inside. He couldn't help but feel a little pathetic.

Once inside, Kala lit several of the candles around the small space as Viggo sat down on the bed. He watched in pain as she moved to the nightstand and began mixing a strange combination of herbs. In the concoction, she placed several herbs and powers in a mixing bowl as well as water. She put it in a cup before giving it to Viggo. "Drink. It will help with your internal injuries and dull the pain."

Viggo took the medicine and drank it quickly. The drink was awfully bitter, and Viggo almost gagged on its awful taste. Upon swallowing he looked at Kala, who was giving him a sympathetic look. "I know, its awful. But it works." She leaned over and checked his back as well. She looked relieved. "You should get some sleep. The more rest you get the faster you'll heal." With that Kala left the building, some of the candles blowing out as she walked past.

Viggo laid down on the bed, trying to get his head to stop spinning. The girl was not the kind of person he was expecting would have saved him. More likely he had expected someone who wanted him for some kind of bargain or ransom. This was a welcome surprise. Before he knew it, Viggo was once again drifting off into sleep, partially at peace knowing that for now, he was at least safe, and alive.


	4. Road to Recovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hey guys sorry about the delay. I realized I hadn't made this clear, but the reason for a sporadic and kind of long period between chapters is because I am in University. Uni takes up a lot of my time so I don't have much time to work on this story. I want to thank everyone for being patient and understanding. Finals will be coming up soon so I'm not excited for that. So to apologize for the long wait I made this chapter extra long. Anyways enjoy the next chapter.

Bright sunlight shone through into the cave-like home, shining directly on the inhabitants eyes. Viggo slowly awoke to the daylight, having to move his hand to block the light from burning his eye. Groaning at the aching pain still present in his body, Viggo sat up in the bed.

For the most part everything was quiet, except for the occasional roar of a distant dragon. Swallowing, Viggo found that his throat was parched. Grabbing the water bottle from the nightstand, he drank the cool fluids as fast as he could. Though, he found it rather shallow, soon running out of water. Still thirsty, the man stood up. The place was empty, and seemed to have been that way for the last long while. Looking around, he noticed that his sword had been placed against the wall. Kala must have moved it while he slept. He also saw that the desk looked particularly empty, devoid of the journal that once occupied the surface. Kala was gone, so for the moment, Viggo was alone.

Standing up, the man grabbed the bottle as well as his sword, deciding he would look for water, as well as explore the island that would be his home for the foreseeable future. He pushed the door open and walked into the light. The day was beautiful. The trees of the thick forest were a brilliant green and the ocean was a vibrant blue. Kala was nowhere to be found, and neither was the Skrill. The land sloped down in one direction. Guessing that would be the most likely place to find a river, Viggo began walking into the forest.

As he pushed his way through the brush, Viggo took the time to think. For now it would be best to lay low, stay out of sight. Hiccup had most likely spread word of his death, and currently it was better to stay that way. Krogan and Johann would otherwise have him hunted down, or other people would try to kill him in hopes of a bit of glory. Also, he needed time to heal. He knew arrow wounds in particular were more than often fatal, and could take well over a month to heal completely. It didn't help having six arrow wounds to worry about.

He figured that once he was healed, he would get his revenge on Krogan and Johann. Nobody betrays him and gets away with it. They had tried to kill him twice, and both times he attributed his survival to dragons in some manner. His first attempt at revenge had failed, so he would have to wait. Without a corpse, the Dragon Hunter leaders may think he somehow survived. Johann was no fool, Viggo had learned that lesson the hard way. Wait and watch, that was the best course of action for the time being.

The sound of moving water could be heard in the distance. He must be getting close to a river. As Viggo continued, the trees began to thin out, until the ground abruptly dropped off into a cliff. Down below the waves of the ocean crashed into the rock. Viggo took a moment to just take in the scene of nature, all the smells, sounds and sights. The cool breeze coming from the sea felt good on his heated skin as he sighed at the serenity.

But the relief was short lived. As he continued to walk along the cliff, he came across a cove and a beach. Anchored in the cove was a small ship, sailing the Dragon Hunters sigil. A rowboat was abandoned on the beach. Hunters were here on the island. Now on high alert, Viggo moved through the forest as stealthy as he could, always on the lookout for other people.

As he continued through the forest, he heard the familiar sounds of rushing water: a river was nearby. Following the sound, he came to the stream quickly. The water rushed with speed down the steeper landscape. The river itself was clear and pristine. With nobody around, Viggo dipped the bottle he had brought into the water. When the bottle filled, the man took a moment to wash his face in the cool water. It moved too fast to see his reflection, but the refreshing feeling of a clean face was nice.

Suddenly, Viggo heard a roar and the echoing of a scream far in the distance. Against his better judgement, Viggo decided to check it out. Climbing the landscape, Viggo followed the source of sounds. The trees thinned out, leading to less cover. Sword held tightly in his good hand, Viggo moved cautiously.

Just around a boulder, he found the source of the sounds. A group of dragon hunters all lay dead on the ground. Some were missing limbs, many had bite marks and wounds while others died from something else. This wasn't a safe place. Turning to leave, Viggo came face to face with a Changewing. The predatory dragon bared it's teeth, ready to bite. Viggo stepped back and raised his sword, igniting it.

Behind the Changewing, more uncloaked and began crawling forward. So these are what killed all of the dragon hunters. Moving slowly backwards, Viggo moved the sword in a hypnotic way, trying to distract them. It seemed to work for a moment, giving Viggo a chance get gain some distance. Then his back hit a boulder. Pain erupted throughout his back, he grunted in agony and nearly dropped his sword. The dragons came out of their momentary stupor with fury. The lead Changewing prepared to fire its acid. Knowing he had nowhere to run, Viggo raised his sword in defence to deflect the incoming corrosive substance.

Then out of the sky a blue fire blast hit the Changewing before it could fire. Looking up, Viggo saw Kala riding her dragon and the Skrill trailing behind, battle cries ringing in the air. Kala and her dragon shot multiple blasts of blue fire in attack, causing the air to fill with a distinctive smell that Viggo could not place. The blast hit the ground around the Changewings but not hitting them directly, only wanting to drive them off. The Skrill came down beside Viggo, challenging the leader. Spooked and outmatched, the pack of Changewings flew off, cloaking themselves and disappearing into the sky.

Kala's dragon landed on the ground and Viggo finally got to see what the dragon looked like in the daylight. It's scales were a rich black, similar to a Night Fury. It's body shape however was closer to that of a Razorwhip, except stronger. It's head was something of awe. Horns protruded at the top of it's head backwards, and it's face was longer with fearsome teeth that could rip flesh with ease. Places along its body and wings radiated blue along with it's eyes, different from the previous night's yellow, though now that bioluminescence was fading to nothing once again. It's wings where large and intimidating, and could easily provide with dragon with speed.

The dragon lowered it's neck were Kala rode so that the girl could jump off. She removed her hood from her head and a look of annoyance covered her face. The daylight also provided Viggo a better look at her. Her hair was white, not the blonde he had mistaken in the firelight. Today her hair was not not down but instead she had two loose braids atop her head that where then pinned in a bun at the back. Some shorter stray hairs had fallen out. Her clothes hugged her body tightly, but she seemed to have no trouble in moving. She was surprisingly small, at least a foot shorter than Viggo himself. While she may have been thin, it was obvious her lean body was attributed to muscle.

"Curiosity killed the cat you know," she said rather nonchalantly. Her bow and arrows rested on her back and now in the light Viggo could see double daggers on her hip. They were small, but still there. "What are those dragons called anyways? They're rather feral and I haven't asked others." she looked at Viggo, her annoyance gone and replaced with curiosity.

"They're called Changewings." Viggo said simply. Kala nodded before her eyes roamed the bandages on his body. Her eyes stopped on his shoulder and without hesitation she strides over to him with confidence. Viggo couldn't help but find it strange how calm she was approaching and touching him. She checked his wounds with an aloofness, but at the same time she had a cold aura. The woman moved around to check his back, and he heard sigh. "How did you know to come here?" Viggo couldn't help but ask.

Almost as quick as she approached him she moved back, moving her attention to the dead Dragon Hunters. "I saw their ship in a cove and knew they had to be here somewhere. I can't risk them knowing I'm here." she said vaguely. "I guess the Changewings got to them before I did. Less work for me," she added, shrugging her shoulders. Her eyes darted between the bodies as she appeared to be thinking. "We should move their bodies onto their ship and send it out to sea. I don't want the Hunters tracing their death's here." Kala spoke quietly, as if more to herself.

Viggo raised an eyebrow at her. He realized that she had fully intended to kill the hunters regardless, so she was nowhere near as merciful as Hiccup and the Dragon Riders. He had to commend her on her cold-blooded tactics as well her her future planning. "Smart. I doubt Kogan and Johann have the minds to think they died here," he said.

She didn't reply to his comment, instead asking, "How is you back feeling?"

"Sore but not unmanageable," Viggo replied.

"Do you know how to properly ride a dragon?" She asked next. The question surprised Viggo and he hesitated in answering. While he had technically rode a dragon in the past, he had never flew with one as a team. He opened his mouth the reply but was met with a dismissive wave. "Of course you don't, stupid question." Kala said for him.

Ticked, a small look of anger appeared on his face. "While I may be no expert, I'm not ignorant in riding dragons." he retorted.

Kala gave him a blank stare, considering his words for a moment. It was almost unnerving to Viggo, how well she could hide her feelings. Even he had trouble deciphering exactly what she was thinking and feeling at any given time. Everything about her was a mystery, and it only stirred a strange feeling of both intrigue and unease in Viggo. Kala turned abruptly, her cloak swishing gracefully at her feet. "Ride with me, it'll be faster," she said as she strode towards her dragon. The Bright Shadow lowered its head so Kala could climb on. While he was still irritated with her telling him what to do, it would do him no good to slow her down. 

Viggo followed suit and climbed onto the dragon behind Kala. It's neck was shorter and more muscular than that of a Monstrous Nightmare, but longer than that of a Nadder. Viggo held onto the its neck, the scales underneath his finger were tough yet flexible. The dragon lifted its head and body and walked over to the dragon hunter bodies, grabbing one with each leg. With a single powerful flap of its wings, the dragon took flight. Despite the added weight, the dragon flew with ease, gliding through the air with speed. The cool air rushed past the two on the dragon, almost like a breath of fresh air. Behind them, Viggo spotted the Skrill also carrying two corpses in its talons, it must have copied the Bright Shadow. The trees of the forest rushed by below as Viggo saw the Dragon Hunter's ship come into view. 

They came in low and gently landed on the ship. The dragon threw the bodies out from its claws haphazardly. The Skrill dropped down on the deck as well, the bodies thumping unceremoniously. The dragon lowered its head and neck so Kala could jump down easily. Viggo followed slowly, the arrow wounds on his back burning from the movement. Kala looked back at her dragon. "Go get the rowboat," she told it. The animal gave an affirmative growl and flew off towards the beach. 

Kala readied her bow and arrow and moved to the ship's cabin door. Pushing the door open, Kala moved with Viggo close behind, holding his sword. However their caution was not needed. The ship was devoid of life. The dragon cages below deck were empty. All that remained on the ship was old supplies the hunters had.

Kala moved towards the captain's quarters and opened the door. Inside was a table with documents and gold on it. Placing her bow on her back, Kala snatched all of the gold and papers from the desk. She also took a moment to sort through the drawers and boxes in the room but found nothing else of worth. Above, a loud thud was heard along with growling. Kala turned back to Viggo who still stood in the doorway. The whole time, Viggo had simply watched her with interest as she moved around the cabin with both experience and ease. This was obviously not the first time something like this has occurred for her. "Find everything you need?" He asked with a smirk and a small tone of amusement and distain. Just how long has this been going on? 

Kala never replied to his question, though she seemed to be happy with her finds. "We should go, the sooner we get this ship away from the island the better."

The two went back up onto the deck into the fading sunlight. The sun was beginning to set behind the island. They heard playful growls that turned out to be coming from the two dragons. The Skrill and the Bright Shadow seemed to be rough housing in a lighthearted way. Fumbling with the papers, Kala pulled out a map with lines indicating the ship's course of travel. From this island, the hunters were supposed to head north. Kala walked to the wheel to turn the boat in the correct direction while Viggo pulled the anchor up without having to be asked with some difficulty. The wind caught in the sails and the ship lurched forward. 

"I believe that's enough for one day. We should head back, I need to reapply those bandages. You're starting to bleed through them." Kala said. The woman gave a whistle and her dragon came to her in stride. She put the papers and gold in almost-full bags before climbing on. While she did that Viggo looked at the bandages he could see. Sure enough, the bandages on his shoulder and left arm had small red spots growing where his wounds are. He was sure it was a similar situation on his back. With oncoming fatigue he followed Kala onto the dragon.

A silence fell between the two as the dragon leaped into the air once more, taking flight. With a few powerful flaps it had climbed high above the island. The ship sailed off north as they flew over the island. Viggo thought back to what Kala took from the ship, and his interest in why continued to increase until he asked, "So why did you take those papers and gold from the ship exactly?" 

"The documents are extra information on their movements as well as useful maps. The gold I took because it's nice to have that extra money on hand. Especially when I'm in need of medical supplies," she retorted back. Once again the two were quiet. The trees passed by below and they wasted no time heading towards the southern end of the island where Kala's home resided.

 

As the sun set in the west casting a beautiful orange glow on the ocean, the reached the little home. Upon landing the two people climbed off the dragon. Kala grabbed the bags from the dragon before going into the cave-home without a word. 

The air was beginning to cool off as dusk set in. Despite his injuries Viggo set about starting a fire. As he stacked the wood the pain in his back slowly increased. Kala's dragon watched him with interest. Once the firewood was ready and dragon moved its intimidating head closer. Everything about the creature was foreign and exotic. If Viggo was still with the Dragon Hunters, it would definitely be just as valuable as a Night Fury. The dragon look between the pile of wood and Viggo, it's amber eyes almost feeling like a burn. Parts along its body began to glow as it lit the wood on fire, burning a bright yellow-orange. The wood caught fire fast, and soon the nearby area was warmed by it's heat. 

Viggo heard the door open and turned to see Kala coming towards him with a small bag. "If you could sit down that would be helpful," she said in a kinder tone. Without question Viggo sat on the log facing the fire. He heard the bag thump onto the ground and turned to look. The bag was full on bandages, bottles and jars as well as a box. Kala also brought out some clean rags and a bucket of water. 

She grabbed the old box and placed it on the log beside Viggo and opened it. Inside were several medical tools. First she grabbed the small scissors. Her dragon lay close by with its body glowing bright, giving the woman the light she needed to work. Viggo felt her dainty hands glide along the old bandages before cutting through the cloth. A uncomfortable silence hung between the two as she slowly pulled off the bandages, careful to not disturb the wounds underneath. 

As she cut the dirty cloth away, Kala through the bandages into the fire. When she did, Viggo could see just how severe his wounds were. Very small sections of dead flesh clung to heavily bloodstained gauze. The skin on his back could breath and the air felt cold. Once she was finished with his back, she moved on to the bandages around his shoulder arm. Viggo had to turn his head to even see her, considering it was on his left side. 

Finally she broke the silence. "I never asked, how exactly you got hurt? Betrayal?" She asked with genuine curiosity. While she didn't look at him, instead looking at her task, Viggo could still see her eyes dancing with inquisitiveness. 

He thought for a moment as she cut the last of the cloth from his body, tossing it into the fire. Sparks flew into the air as Kala moved to his right, rummaging through the bag. As she spoke, she began pulling out ripped tough strings from each of his wounds. "Johann and Kogan decided I was disposable. First they tried to kill me by causing a cave-in after I was given false information. I was saved by a Monstrous Nightmare. After, I sought out the help of my old adversary Hiccup as well as the Skrill to get revenge and cripple their operation by attaining the Dragon Eye Lenses. Our plan failed when Johann figured it out. I and the Skrill stayed back so Hiccup could escape. I thought I would die in that cove." Viggo explained his situation briefly to Kala. 

"I can only imagine the shock you felt upon first waking up." She jested before going silent. From beside her, she had grabbed a bottle of a liquid and soaked one of the rags with it. "I'm assuming your attitude towards dragons has drastically changed as of late?" She asked, already knowing the answer. 

Viggo gave a small chuckle. "That's one way to put it," he replied. As Kala set the bottle down, she moved to his back once more. He could see the wounds on his front. The wound on his shoulder and arm had a ripped tough string stitched through his skin. He felt her pick the black string out of the wounds on his back before preparing the clean them.

"This is going to sting, but I need to kill any infection before your wound festers." She said, before gently tapping at one of the arrow wounds. Viggo gave a sharp breath at the pain. The sterilization was almost worse than the actual wound.

Viggo asked his own question to try and distract himself from the burning pain. "Where did you learn your healing skills? They are far more advanced than most." Viggo said, struggling to keep his breathing even against the agony he was suffering. 

Kala spoke as she worked, her experienced hands working to cause the man as little extra pain as possible. She knew all to well just how awful it could be. "My mother was my tribe's healer, so she passed her skills down to me. Sort of like a family tradition. Though I've found that we always were a little more advanced than others in medical techniques for injuries and disease." She said before moving to the next wound and soaking it in the sterilizing substance. A new wave of pain hit Viggo and he inhaled sharply out of instinct. 

Through the pain, Viggo asked another question. "Where are you from originally? How long have you been in the area?" The questions had been nagging him since he figured out she wasn't from anywhere near the Archipelago.

He focused his eyes on the glowing fire in front of him and his ears on her voice, trying to push the burning agony to the back of his mind. "I'm from a place called Nuile. It's west. Far west. You could never reach it by just flying on a dragon, one would die of exhaustion before you even got close. Where I lived was more like one giant landmass as opposed to the many islands that dot the ocean here," she replied at first. Then she moved to the next arrow wound. She went quiet for a moment, like she was thinking. "I left my tribe 5 years ago. Since then I've been travelling the world. I only came to the area a couple weeks ago." Her answer was vague, and left much to wonder about. 

She finished the last of the wounds on Viggo's back and moved to his side once again. Her fingers worked fast in cleaning the other two wounds. "Most of what I've learned here has been through observation, eavesdropping and asking the right questions to talkative merchants." She added as she finished.

As the burning of his wounds ebbed away, Kala got a new rag and soaked it in clean water. She let the liquid drip onto each of his wounds, washing away any leftover cleaning solution. Viggo still wanted to know more. "Your dragon is unlike any I've seen. Tell me about it." As he spoke Kala grabbed an ointment from her bag.

As she spoke she gently rubbed some of the substance into each of his wounds, it felt cool and soothed the pain. "His name is Midnight, I named him for the time and place of his hatching. The Tenelux are a rare species that live where I am from. They are usually solitary predators and can live in a range of environments." Once each of his wounds had the the strange substance on them, Kala cleaned a small needle and retrieved stitches. She spoke as she very carefully re-stitched the wounds. "When my older brother and I went out one day, we found a dead mother dragon in the mountains along with two eggs. We each took one and camped out on Midnight's Ridge that night. My egg happened to hatch that night, and my brother's hatched in the morning. I've had my dragon ever since."

"Where is your brother now?" Viggo asked.

"He's dead." She replied simply. 

As she finished Viggo's thoughts drifted to his own deceased sibling, Ryker. It had been so long since Viggo actually thought the betrayal his suffered at the hands of his older brother. Kala's voice broke his thoughts. "I heard you also had an older brother. Ryker was it? It must have been had not only getting double crossed, but also losing your only family." She said quietly. 

Viggo was surprised that she actually knew so much. However it wasn't surprising that some informants may know and gossip about his failures. He didn't reply to her, invisibly stung by her bringing the topic up. Finally Kala grabbed bandages from the bag and began wrapping up his wounds. She was careful to make them tight, yet still loose enough to not be too uncomfortable. 

"There. The ointment I put on should help dull the pain and keep infection away. You're still looking at a maybe 3 weeks of recovery," Kala told the injured man. She packed her supplies back into the bag. "For the first few days you are healing quite well. These bandages have to stay on for awhile, especially if you overexert yourself and reopen the wounds. It will be awhile before you can travel though."

Kala returned her bag to the cave, and came out with food. Kala's dragon Midnight let it's bioluminescence fade out and moved over to a secluded spot underneath a pine tree. The Skrill, which had been idly standing by, moved over the Viggo and sniffed him in curiosity. The lighting dragon layed down, with it's head on the log beside Viggo. The man placed his hand upon the Skrill's head, stroking it's scales. It still felt strange, having any kind of friendship with a dragon.

Kala watched with intrigue just a few feet away. "How did a man like you bond with a Skrill? It's a strangely strong bond it seems, otherwise it would have simply left you." The woman asked.

"My first plan to take revenge on Johann and Krogan required the help of a Skrill as it is the Singetail's only predator. When Hiccup and I attacked, we used the Skrill to distract the Flyers while we got inside. They managed to capture it, so when I got the chance I freed it." Viggo explained, still somewhat perplexed himself. The dragon was close to falling asleep by Viggo's strokes. 

Kala nodded at his explanation, and had no further comments. "Well until those wounds heal, I'm afraid you won't be able to travel effectively. So you are stuck here for quite awhile." 

Stuck on an island with little to do wasn't ideal. As they ate, Viggo asked, "You ever play Maces and Talons? With so much time on our hands we'll need some entertainment."

"I've acquired a set at the markets, but I've never played," Kala answered.

"Care to learn?"


	5. Conflicts Ablaze Part 1

A little over two weeks has passed since Viggo's brush with death at the hands of the Dragon Hunters. Since then he has been on a unknown island recovering thanks to a foreigner named Kala. Despite their different lives the two had come to some sort of friendship.

Viggo had noticed some things about Kala's day that, while not totally consistent, still seemed to be a normal part of her life. She was usually gone in the dark of the morning and returned by noon. She said she was exploring the surrounding areas, fishing and practicing - while she never usually elaborated on what 'practice' was, Viggo guessed it was archery or some other fighting. If she was gone any longer, she had more than likely went to the Northern Markets or another trading centre for supplies.

In his recovering state, Viggo slept more than he was used too. He had a sneaking suspicion it was because of the healing herbs Kala often gave him. While this should have angered him, he was a little grateful. Not only did those herbs keep the pain at bay so he could sleep restfully, the excessive sleep helped pass the time. There was little to do on the island, and Viggo would often find himself bored out of his mind.

The mornings or afternoons when Kala was gone, Viggo would try to find ways to keep his active mind entertained. He'd read through the books Kala had acquired and shifted through the many documents and maps. Many of them he recognized as coming from the dragon hunters. Others were more unfamiliar. It was rare that she left behind the journal that contained her own illustrations and observations, but when she did Viggo found it fascinating to view an outsiders perspective on the dragons he had known for a long time.

Sometimes he found himself wandering the island, often in the company of the Skrill. The lightning dragon had been a strange source of companionship, but a welcome one. After having hunted dragons all his life, it was an unusual feeling to have one as a comrade, but still pleasant. It wasn't uncommon that feelings of guilt and almost regret arose in Viggo, but he pushed those feelings away.

As time went on, Viggo found himself spending more and more of his free time with the lightning dragon. He learned more about the individual creature's personality over time. This Skrill in particular was intelligent, similar to that of the Night Fury. It started with the dragon following him, almost like it was stalking prey. It shadowed him out of intrigue and later Viggo discovered the dragon followed to protect him. The island wasn't without it's dangers after all. Despite many a chance to leave, the Skrill had made it evident he planned to stay with Viggo. In fact, the man wasn't even sure what to make of the situation himself. He had assumed the solitary predator would disappear and return to whatever it's previous life had been, but that has not been the case. It wanted to stick around and for now, Viggo was alright with that.

When alone, time hardly seemed to move as the minutes ticked by. But when Kala returned, the day always became more interesting. At first, the woman was highly secretive, rarely sharing the day's events upon her return to the island. Over the days though the two became more comfortable around each other. And while Kala was still reluctant to openly share her deeper feelings, she felt at ease around the man. Viggo picked up on her more relaxed body language as the days passed by.

Even from the beginning he noticed other small things about her. She was the most at ease whenever she was acting as a healer. Whether that be checking his own wounds or rummaging through her stock, the medical practice was clearly something important to her. He'd also noticed that in their various conversations, she asked a lot of questions. She was intelligent and inquisitive not just about him, but about everything of relevance. Her questions were also often aimed with intent and while this was helpful, she had an awful habit of becoming too nosy. It wasn't surprising that she was able to learn so much from her travels.

Despite her openness to sharing her extensive knowledge on healing and the human body, as well as the many types of people and dragons she encountered, the woman was still secretive around her profession and skills as well as why she did anything. Viggo had to commend her for keeping quiet on the matter for so long, but it was also infuriating, like she didn't trust him. Even though he could not call her a close friend, there was still a strange relief around knowing that there was no ulterior motivation to their relationship.

In the evenings they would both converse over the fire about several subjects ranging from dragons to childhood memories, each slowly learning about the other. At night the two always found themselves playing Maces and Talons. At first the game was very one-sided, with Viggo easily winning. But Kala was a fast learner and became better with every game. Viggo found that her strategies changed almost every time they began a new game. Strategies that worked well in her favour would reappear whereas those that failed were often discarded and mostly forgotten. Viggo often had to counter her moves with new ideas. As she improved, Kala pushed Viggo to alter his own choices. She came close to winning once, but between the two Viggo was still the uncontested champion.

Today had started like every other day. Viggo woke up alone to the bright sunlight of the day. To try to keep himself busy, he gathered firewood and fished. He had the island practically memorized, so exploring it was out of the question to kill time. Viggo also danced with the idea of riding the Skrill but the idea never got off the ground. Not only were his wounds not healed enough to fly properly, the Skrill was still skittish. Any time Viggo moved towards the dragon's back, it moved away, still unsure of having an actual rider.

Currently Viggo had a fire crackling in the dusk. He quietly cooked the fish he caught earlier for both himself and the Skrill. The sun was setting behind the ocean, and the sky slowly darkened, no moon in sight. Something was off; Kala had not returned. She had never returned late, and as much as Viggo wanted to ignore the growing pit in his stomach, he was worried. Just what caused her to be late? Had something happened?

<<<<<>>>>>

Earlier that morning, just as the sun peaked over the horizon, Kala flew off on her dragon towards a trading centre. With her she only had bow and arrows along with some gold. Over the past couple weeks she looted a few more dragon hunter ships and planned to buy the medicine that she required, as well as some resources to make more arrows.

The woman was dressed conservatively. She wore her classic black leathers that practically covered her body and hugged her skin. Her thigh high boots were also black along with her fingerless gloves. Larger parts of darkened lustreless steel acted as armour on her shoulders, forearms and shins and smaller bits were woven into the leather on her chest and back. Kala also wore a black cloak with a hood to help hide her identity. The clothing she wore had reason to be what it was, and had served her well throughout her life. She knew the hard black would stick out during the day, but daylight was not when she was concerned with hiding.

Now in the cool morning air, Kala let her cloak flap in the wind as her hair whipped back. The cold air was refreshing as she and her dragon flew through it. Few clouds littered the sky in it's beautiful blue-orange hues. Midnight flew with grace and speed, maneuvering between tight sea stacks with ease. As her dragon moved, Kala stood on his back, balancing with the movements.

For the day Kala had planned to buy the resources she needed from a nearby trading centre before returning to the island and training. As the sea stacks thinned out, Kala sat down and directed her dragon to fly high. Today was a god day and the wind moved with them. Midnight rarely had to flap his wings, able to glide at a quick pace and stay aloft with the strong winds.

Within a couple hours Kala reached the trading post island thanks to the tailwind. As the island came into sight the woman pulled up her hood, tucking her white hair back. Midnight dived from their height to fly as close to the ocean as possible. They flew around to the forested side of the island. Kala was no fool and knew there was a high chance that Dragon Hunters or those of like were roaming the markets. She needed to hide her dragon in the dense forests as she went about her business.

She had been to this market place several times in the past, and knew exactly where to hide Midnight. Deep within the island's forests was a beautiful fern canyon that stretched tall and far. Sometimes, the dense ferns hid small winding tunnels, carved from ancient rivers. Kala had been lucky, and found one large enough to hide Midnight.

The pair flew in low, skirting just above the treetops, moving unseen toward the canyon. Below the green flashed by quickly and Kala's eyes searched for their destination. Soon, the forest floor dropped off, revealing the deep ravine. Midnight suddenly dived, disappearing from the sky into the green vegetation.

The black dragon landed gracefully onto the canyon floor, almost silent. Kala jumped down from where she sat. A bag of gold was strapped to her belt, hiding behind her cloak lest any unfortunate pick-pocketer thought they could steal it. Though her quiver and bow were strapped on her back, highly visible. The clear weapon would help deter others.

The pair walked down the canyon, admiring the thick ferns that intertwined as they climbed the walls. Water trickled down the plants onto the rock bottom, meeting up into a small stream. As she walked towards her hiding place for Midnight, Kala found peace in the fleeting serenity.

All too soon they reached the hiding place. Pushing aside a certain patch of woven ferns revealed an old cavern, long since carved. Midnight crawled in, prepared to nap in the secret darkness. Once the dragon was inside, Kala moved the ferns back into place as if they never moved.

Kala began walking upstream, her experienced footsteps hardly making a sound against the stone underfoot. The ground gradually became steeper as she walked uphill. As the canyon walls shortened, the ferns thinned out, until there was only bare rock. The forest the canyon led to lacked undergrowth and brush. Instead, there were only several tall trees with leaves isolated to the tops. Kala couldn't help but feel a little bare and exposed despite the various tree trucks surrounding her. Out of habit she pulled her hood closer, as if to hide.

The sounds of a bustling market grew ever louder as Kala walked towards the market place. Soon the treeline was visible, and just beyond that was the trading centre in an open meadow. Several tents and wooden stands were lined up in rows, each housing it's own service. The market was a fair distance away from the ocean and harbour where merchants carried their goods. People from all walks of life travelled along a cobblestone road towards the market as the day was beginning.

The morning sun edged ever closer to being overhead while people began pouring into the marketplace from the harbour. Kala walked through the tall grass, pulling her hood closer to her face. Too often these trading places would be filled with Dragon Hunters, criminals and thugs. There was always the chance someone might recognize her. It was better to take precautions.

Kala took her time browsing through the many traders featuring weaponry. She looked for arrows already made, as well as parts that would allow her to make her own. While she preferred to recycle as many arrows as she could, it was inevitable that she would lose them eventually. The more she had, the less often she needed to return to trading centres. Finding them was an easy task, the trouble was finding sturdy arrows with heads that could do damage.

By noon Kala had found her weapons, and while the price had been high, having quality weapons was worth it. Around this time the place was crowded with people trying to get what they needed, and it wasn't uncommon to see a fight break out. Kala did well in avoiding them, pushing her white hair back and again pulling at her hood.

With the weaponry she needed the woman moved toward the stalls that contained the various medicinal items she wanted. Not only did she need to restock on the herbs she had used on Viggo, she needed a supply of herbs for many other ailments. The herbs she needed were far easier to find and price out, since few stalls sold anything medical related.

The midday sun was bright in the sky by the time Kala was done. She had made good time and didn't run into any trouble. With everything she needed tucked away in a satchel, Kala began making her way out of the trading post.

Then, as she was walking past the food shops, two young men caught her eye. A blonde, large, stocky guy standing with a scrawny brown-haired boy. She was going to just walk past them, get off the island before anything could happen, but then a flash of metal caught her eye. The thin one had a prosthetic. Then it clicked; that must be Hiccup Haddock, the boy Viggo spoke off, though she didn't know the other. Kala stopped in her tracks, her curiosity peaked.

Not only was she interested in meeting the famed Hiccup Haddock the lll, she wanted to see his Night Fury. It was a childish wish, but still her interest kept her in the markets, tailing the two Dragon Riders inconspicuously. She'd have to be careful not to make herself obvious. As she figured out her next move, Kala followed the two, pretending she was just a simple consumer.

<<<<<>>>>>

Hiccup and Fishlegs walked with haste around the markets, looking for food as well as tools Hiccup required. The Northern Markets had become far too dangerous to go to anymore, so they were scouting out this newer place. The two had taken precautions, and hidden their dragons in the forest. But this place was in a field, so if trouble did occur, it would be harder to reach their dragons.

Despite the risk the market had provided everything they needed, it was a relief. While they had seen a couple Dragon Hunters and Flyers, none had recognized them yet.

"There, thats the last of what we need. Now how about we get out of here before trouble finds us." Hiccup said cheerfully to Fishlegs. The blonde man smiled, carrying a satchel full of supplies.

"Yeah that sounds good. I'm starting to get the creeps." Fishlegs replied, relief evident in his voice.

As the Dragon Riders walked between the stands, Hiccup had noticed a dark cloaked person that seemed to be following them. The black cloak and bow they carried on their back unnerved Hiccup. Had someone recognized them?

Quietly, Hiccup moved closer to Fishlegs and whispered, "Do you seen the black hooded person over there? I think they're following us." He spoke so only Fishlegs could hear him.

Fishlegs placed back, and saw the figure his friend spoke of. "Yeah. We should go. Do you think it's a bounty hunter?" He replied, his footsteps quickening.

"Could be. The last hooded stranger we ran into turned out to be Krogan. I would prefer to avoid a similar situation." Hiccup answer. He also began to walk faster, wanting to get out of the sketchy trading post as fast as possible without attracting unwanted attention.

The Dragon Riders walked out of the markets through the main road, watching out for danger. The stranger that had been following them remained in the markets, not leaving. Perhaps Hiccup was just being paranoid. Upon reaching where the road meets the tree line, the two turned into the forest. The further they went, the more sure Hiccup felt that nobody had followed them.

Suddenly, Hiccup heard a screech from the sky and before he could react, a barrage of fireballs burst in front of them. Hiccup almost dropped his supplies in shock. Looking up, he saw a group of Dragon Flyers riding Singetails. "Run!" He called out to Fishlegs as they both ran as fast as they could between the trees.

Above the Singetails shrieked with each attack. Fireballs hit the trees, setting the nearby plants soon fire. "Toothless!" Hiccup called for his dragon that was hidden somewhere among the vegetation.

"Meatlug!" Fishlegs yelled. The larger young man was breathing hard from both fear and sprinting. "Hiccup how'd they know we were here?" He clued out between rapid breaths.

"I don't know. One of them probably recognized us. Maybe it was that cloaked person." Hiccup called back over the blasts.

Hiccup dared look back, and saw a Singetail blast a fireball right towards him. Just as the sphere of burning flames hurtled towards him, a plasma blast hit it, spreading the damage and missing the one-legged viking. Hiccup turned and saw Toothless along with Meatlug, prepared to protect their riders. A smile appeared on both riders' faces. "Toothless! Just in time."

Hiccup and Fishlegs ran over to their dragons, happy to see them. Quickly they climbed on and took to the skies. Several Dragon Flyers circled overhead. "We have to get out of here!" Hiccup called to Fishlegs, there was no chance they could win a fight. Together they flew towards the open ocean.

Hiccup's heart pounded in his ears as he urged Toothless to fly faster. But then a line of Singetails cut off their route towards the ocean. Simultaneously the Dragon Flyers forced their dragons to fire. The dragon riders dodged the incoming attack and turned to avoid them. But upon turning, more Singetails had blocked their back. Panic began to set in as they closed in, completely surrounding them. "Fly up! It's our only way!" Hiccup called to his friend in desperation. Toothless and Meatlug turned to fly up but again were cut off by Singetails. The Dragon Riders were trapped.

The Flyers looked at the two with smug expressions. The leader raised an arm, and on cue several others raised ropes with metal balls: bolas'.

"Plasma blast Toothless!" Hiccup shouted.

"Meatlug, spew!" Fishlegs yelled in kind.

Together the two dragons were able to hit some of the Flyers, freeing the respective Singetails in the process. The small victory was short-lived. The lead Flyer lowered his arm and those that remained all threw their trapping weapons. With the little space they had Hiccup and Fishlegs tried to dodge. Both riders were hit, and the bolas' trapped their arms against their bodies. The weapons were too tight to struggle free.

Then, the leader shouted "Fire!"

A barrage of flames hit the riders from above. The force and heat combined caused the riders to fall from their dragons.

Hiccup and Fishlegs screamed in both pain and fear as Singetails swooped down. One caught Fishlegs in it's claws while Hiccup was caught by a Flyer himself.

"Toothless, no!" Hiccup called as he could do nothing but watch as his dragon struggled to fly alone. The Flyers wasted no time to capturing the dragons with fireproof nets. Surrounded, outnumbered and outmatched, Meatlug and Toothless stood no chance of escape. Hiccup only struggled harder against his binds and against the Flyer. "Let us go! You have no idea who you're dealing with!" Hiccup yelled at the flyer with anger and conviction.

The Flyer only laughed maliciously at the rider's futile attempt at fighting back. "We'll have captured you're friend and dragon long before you stand a chance of escape." He replied with an evil smirk. Hiccup watched with horror as Toothless and Meatlug were seized and unable to fight back.

One Singetail carried Toothless by a long rope and two more carried Meatlug, holding the gronckle far closer due to her heavier weight. As a unit the Flyers that were left regrouped. "Good job. Now lets get these two back to Krogan and Johann for questioning," The leader called out, a menacing smirk was plastered on his face.

Hiccup looked to Fishlegs, and then to Toothless, deflating with defeat. The dragons growled in sadness. How could this have happened? This newer trading post was supposed to be peaceful.

Just as Hiccup was losing all hope, something from down below the trees caught his eye. Then, an arrow whizzed by out of the trees, and cut the rope holding Toothless. As his dragon and best friend fell into the green leaves below, Hiccup looked back, and saw a familiar black cloaked figure below.

<<<<<>>>>>

Kala was struggling to follow the Dragon Riders through the stalls without being too obvious. She had caught them glancing her way and she had a suspicion they knew something wasn't right. Soon they began to leave, walking down the road towards the harbour. Kala sighed, a little miffed a chance to confront them hadn't occurred. Perhaps it was for the best though, meant that trouble stayed away.

Soon Kala tired of the crowds of consumers and began making her way towards the fern canyon to leave. Then she heard a loud screech from the forest. She turned on her heel and moved to that side of the marketplace. People began panicking, and running for cover. Looking out, she saw several unfamiliar dragons flying above the trees, trapping a gronckle, and another black dragon. Kala quickly pulled out a spyglass so she could actually see. She saw Hiccup and his friend riding their dragons, and they needed help.

Kala didn't know who the enemy was, but she did know that the two riders stood no chance being so outnumbered. For a moment she wanted to turn and run, back to her dragon and out of here. After all this wasn't her fight. But the urge to help the riders was enough to keep her feet rooted. She was unsure of what was best. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to truly know of her presence, but if she didn't act, those two would most likely be captured.

She remained frozen, broken up about the right thing she should do, until several loud blasts occurred over the forest. Kala clenched her fist in conflict, before running towards the air battle. While she was not physically strong, she traded in strength for speed and agility. The woman ran through the grass swiftly, sprinting with all her speed. Once in the trees, she dodged the tree trunks, following the screeches. Just as she saw the dragons and their riders fall out of the sky she was below them, breathing hard.

Quickly she climbed a nearby tree just as the enemy had captured the riders and began flying away. Standing on a branch and leaning against the trunk, Kala pulled her bow from her back, drawing a single arrow. It was like slow motion, Kala taking but a second to aim, she had a perfect shot at the rope that held the Night Fury. Heart pounding in her ears from adrenaline, she released the arrow. The arrow flew, and cut the rope with precision, causing the dragon to fall into the trees and startling the enemy.

Kala then began jumping from tree branch to tree branch with experienced movements. She needed to reach that dragon and make sure it wasn't recaptured. Her agility and increased experience with balance helped aid her in reaching the dragon in no time. From her high position, she could see the Night Fury had managed to free itself from the net confines.

"Recover the Nigh Fury! And get that stranger! The rest of you can leave!" Kala heard one of the men holler. The Night Fury began shooting its plasma blasts at the enemy, trying to fight back as four Singetails dived at them. Kala quickly drew back another arrow, hitting one Flyer in the shoulder, the force causing him to fall. The others were shot off from the Night Fury's accurate blasts. The freed Singetails flew off.

"Toothless!" Kala heard Hiccup call from the air. The Night Fury look to him, and roared in anger. The gronckle and other boy were already to far away, but not Hiccup. The Flyer was smart, and moved the boy so the dragon would not fire. But that didn't stop Kala. Pulling back a final arrow, she aimed up and at an angle. She let go, and watched as her arrow flew up, and then down. It hit the flyer on top of his shoulder, and buried itself deep underneath his collarbone. The flyer screamed in pain, providing Hiccup the chance to escape.

Kala could only watch helplessly as the rider fell. Then, his Night Fury took off in his direction. The woman followed from the treetops, but even she could not keep up with the dragon.

She stopped suddenly, hidden among the leaves. After having helped them at least partly, she could run in the other direction, and pretend like she never had intervened. But still, she had a feeling this wasn't over and against her better judgement, jumped down onto the grass below and followed.

<<<<<>>>>>

Hiccup watched with worry as the cloaked figure followed below towards his dragon. With Toothless free, Hiccup only struggled harder, causing his captor to pull on his ropes harder. Then, out of the leaves, another arrow appeared, and was headed towards them. The weapon pierced theFlyers armour and skin, resulting in agony Hiccup could only imagine. The injured man screamed, and let go of Hiccup to try to tend to his wound. Hiccup rolled off, and fell towards the trees.

"Toothless!" Hiccup called for his friend, his voice laced with fear and alarm.

Reliable as always Toothless managed to catch him just before he hit the ground, saving him. Hiccup groaned as they rolled on the ground an landed, but couldn't help but laugh a little in relief. Toothless growled affectionately at him, glad that at least the boy was safe. The dragon cut the ropes that bound Hiccup, freeing him quickly. "Thanks bud." Hiccup said, patting the Night Fury's head.

Out in the distance Hiccup looked out and saw the rest of the Singetails retreating, with Meatlug and Fishlegs in tow. There was too many for Hiccup to fight alone, and they were moving fast. Hiccup's shoulder's sagged in defeat.

Then a spark of panic shot through him again, what had happened to that cloaked stranger? With urgency Hiccup jumped onto Toothless, both boy and dragon glancing around in search of the archer that saved them. A crunching of twigs and grass underfoot could be heard from the forest, and Toothless bared his teeth, prepared to shoot. The small cloaked stranger appeared for behind the trees, their bow on their back.

"Who are you? Who do you work for?" Hiccup called out to them in a biting tone. The stranger stopped, putting their hands out in front of them, showing they meant no harm. Then, their hands moved up to their hood, and hesitated before removing their hood. The archer was revealed to be a woman as her hair fell out. A part of Hiccup's misgivings were gone; this was no what he was expecting.

"My name is Kala, and I work for nobody but myself," the woman said with a strange accent Hiccup had not heard before. For a moment a look of passing confusion crossed Hiccup's face. This small woman was clearly not a viking was not what he expected.

Hiccup quickly gave his head a shake, and resumed glaring. "You were following us earlier, how come? And why did you help me?" Hiccup said, though his cutting tone wasn't as strong.

Kala stood rather nonchalantly despite her intense gaze as she thought of her answer. Then, the archer sighed and looked out into the forest, a flash of embarrassment evident in her reddening cheeks. "I was following you because I wanted to meet your Night Fury." Kala admitted sheepishly. Quickly the moment vanished and her gaze was once again just as intense as before. "I wasn't going to help because I knew it would only lead to trouble. But I did because it was the right thing to do and I couldn't just leave you without doing anything. I'm sorry I couldn't free your friend." She answered with solemn and honesty.

Hiccup breathed out a sigh of relief and allowed his body to relax along with Toothless. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you." Hiccup replied graciously.

Kala gave him a nod, acknowledging his thanks. "It was nothing." She said. Then her eyes drifted downwards to Toothless. The woman took a couple steps forward, before stopping. She looked back up and said, "May I?" while gesturing to the Night Fury.

"Uh, of course." Hiccup responded, jumping off of his own dragon. He could only watch perplexed as the archer gently approached and pet Toothless' head soothingly. Her eyes danced with wonder and a small smile was etched on her face.

"I've only heard stories of the elusive Night Fury. Last I heard they were all gone." Hiccup heard the woman say in her foreign accent. Toothless seemed to enjoy her experienced touch until she pulled away, not wanting to overstay her welcome. "I should be going, and you should too. They took your friend due west. If you hurry, you may catch them."

Hiccup was surprised by the woman's sudden want to leave, but he couldn't let her go just yet. Just as the woman turned to leave, Hiccup called out. "Wait! Please."

Surprisingly she stopped, waiting on what he had to say. The one-legged viking wasted no time in stopping her. "Those Flyer were moving fast and I don't have time to put together a rescue party. I need to help Fishlegs now and I don't know if I can do it alone." Hiccup told her. He spoke no lies; there was a very real possibility they may just kill Fishlegs, and time was of the essence. She also appeared to be highly skilled. He didn't know this stranger, but she helped him once, at least he could ask.

Kala simply turned away from him, her feet still rooted to the ground. In that moment she didn't look like she would help Hiccup felt his heart sink. "Please, they could torture and kill my friend. Even worse, Johann and Kogan could learn our secrets and there may be no stopped them then."

Hiccup noticed that the woman turned to him once he mentioned his particular foes, intrigue and anxiety written on her face. Her different coloured eyes darted around his face, then to Toothless. Soon she closed her eyes tightly, conflicted as too what she should do. After several tense moments of silence, Kala finally opened her eyes and looked to him. "Okay, I'll help. On one condition. If this is a rescue mission and it's just us, you follow me. I've done work like this before." She said, her voice thick with still present apprehension.

Hiccup thought for a moment, worried he couldn't trust her. But the situation was too dire to worry. "Okay, I accept. Now lets get going." Hiccup said, jumping back onto Toothless who roared.

Still hesitant in her choice, she tentatively climbed on behind Hiccup. "First, we have to go get my dragon."

"Your dragon?"

To be continued...


End file.
